End-play device.



No. 789,598. PLTENTED SEPT.22, 1903.

H. GEISENHUNBR.

END PLAY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1903.

110 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES i atentecl September 22, 1908.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY cEIsENuoNER, OE SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, AssIeN'OR TO GEN: ERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

EN D-PLAY DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,598, datedSeptember 22, 1903. Application filed May 8, 1903. Serial No. 156,147.(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GEIsENHoNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-PlayDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanical endplay device for rotary shafts,the object of which is to impart an axial to-and-fro motion to the shaftand the parts carried thereby. Such a device is adaptable for use withro tary shafts of any description, but it finds its greatest field ofusefulness in connection with dynamo-electric machines employing acommutator. In these machines the brushes which collect the current fromthe commutator if allowed to bear always in the same track would soonWear a groove in .the' commutator and materially reduce its period ofusefulness. To prevent this, electromagnetic and mechanical devices havebeen provided to give an axial motion to the rotary memher, so that thetrack of the brushes varies in such a manner as to include the entirecylindrical surface of the commutator. My invention relates to amechanical end-play device of this nature. It possesses the advantagesof durability, extreme simplicity,'and small cost of manufacture.

In carrying out my invention I use a pin having one end mounted in abearing opposite the end of the shaft and slightly eccen- 5 tric to itsmathematical axis. The other end of the pin protrudes through a ringmounted parallel and in proximity to the end of the shaft. The method ofmounting the end of the pin in the bearing is such that the pin is freeto move in any direction within the limits imposedby its free end beinginclosed within the ring. The free end normally drops by gravity untilthe side of the pin rests against'the bottom of the ring, in whichposition the end is slightly below the axis of the shaft. When in thisposition, an axial move- 'ment of the shaft will cause the end of theshaft to abut against the free end of the pin, and as the shaft rotatesthe end of the pin 5b will be carried around with it. Rotation throughhalf a cycle will thus bring the end of the pin to the upper part of thering, in which position the pin is substantially par-' allel to the axisof the shaft. This change of the pin from a position inclined to andcross ing the axis of the shaft toa position parallel thereto increasesthe distance between the end of the shaft and the bearing of the pin,

so that the shaft is given a thrust away from the pin, and the latterwhen released from engagement with the end of the shaft drops by gravityto its original position resting against the bottom of the ring.

As the device imparts an axial motion in one direction only, two of thedevices may be used, if desired, one mounted in'cooperative relation toeach end of the shaft; but when used in connection with dynamo-electricmachines I prefer to use only one of the devices and to utilize themagnetic attraction of the fields for the armature to return the rotarymember to the position in which the end of the shaft again abuts againstand picks up the pin.

My invention therefore embodies an endplay device for a rotary shaftcomprising a pin having one end supported opposite the end of the shaftand the other end free to move in any direction, the pin normallytakinga position inclined to the axis of the shaft. It also embodiesother novel features, which will be more fully described hereinafter anddefinitely pointed outin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of myinvention, Fig- 2 of any suitable construction. The end-play 5 devicecomprisesa spider-casting 3, provided with radial arms 4: 4, by which itis secured to an extension5 of the frame of the machine or one of thebearings. The manner of attaching the device to the machine forms no 10opart of my invention and may be varied to suit the type of machine withwhich the de vice is employed. In-some machines-as, for instance, rotaryconvertersthe brush-holder rods may be extended and threaded at theirouter ends, and the end-play device may be secured on these rods. Thespider 3 is formed with a circular bore 6, extending only a portion ofthe distance through it and so positioned' that when the device issecured in place the center line of the bore will be slightly eccentricto and preferably above the axis of the shaft 1, as indicated in thedrawings, in which 7 7 is the axis of the shaft. From the end of bore 6and eccentric thereto a smaller threaded bore extends through thecasting, and in this smaller bore the bearingplug Sis adjusted at theproper distance from the end of shaft 1 and locked in position by thenut 9. The inner end of plug Sis provided with a bearing for the end ofthe pin or interrupter 10 such that the pin is free to turn in anydirection, and the arrangement of the parts is such that this bearing isabove the axis of the shaft 1. In the preferred construction I employ auniversal ball-joint. The end of the pin is ball-shaped, as shown at 11,and the plug is hollowed out at 12 to receive the ball-shaped end, theedge of the hollowed-out portion being turned over to partially inclosethe ball, as indicated at 13. The pin 10 extends through the bore 6 andprotrudes slightly beyond the mouth of the bore and has its outer endrounded off, as shown at 14:. This end of the pin is free to move byreason of the universal joint 11 to any position within the circularbore 6, which thus forms a ring encircling the free end of the pin. Thisend normally falls'by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1, restingagainst the lower side of the bore, in which position it is below theaxis of the shaft 1, preferably as far below as the bearing'is above theaxis.

The pin 10 may be a solid piece of metal; but I prefer to use theconstruction shown in Fig. 2, in which the pin is made elastic by thespring 15. As thus constructed the pin is made up of two parts 16 and17, a tongue 18 on the former being arranged to slide for a limiteddistance within a bore in the latter. Within the bore is a strong spring15, which is compressed between the end of the tongue 18 and the innerend of the bore. A cotterpin 19, extending through a slot 20 in thetongue 18 and secured in the sides of the bore, limits the movement ofthe'tongue within the bore.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from theforegoing description. The pin being in the position shown in Fig. 1,the end of the shaft 1 at a point below its axis abuts against therounded end 14 of the pin, and as the shaft rotates the pin is carriedaround with it to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in whichposition the end of the pin'is above the axis of the shaft. In moving tothis position the spring 15 Within the pin is compressed, and as thetension increases a thrust away from the device is imparted to theshaft. This axial movement of the shaft frees the pin from engagementwith the end of the shaft, and it drops to its original position restingagainst the lower side of the bore 6. To return the shaft intoengagement with the pin again, a similar device could be mounted incooperative relation to the other end of the shaft; but indynamo-electric machines I prefer to arrange the parts so that thethrust is against the normal bias exerted by the field-magnets on thearmature. This is illustrated in Fig. 3, in which 21 represents thefield, and 22 the armature, of a rotary converter. The magneticattraction of the fields tends to hold the armature in the positionshown, and when the end-play device moves the rotary mem her to theposition shown in dotted lines this attraction restores it to itsoriginal position, bringing the end of the shaft again into contact withthe pin.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a pin one end ofwhich is mounted in a universal bearing opposite the end of the shaftand the other end free to turn in any direction.

2. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a movable pineccentrically mounted opposite the end of the shaft and adapted toengage the shaft at its free end.

3. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a pin one end ofwhich is mounted in a bearing opposite the end of the shaft andeccentric to its axis and the other end free to turn in any direction,and means for arresting the free end of the pin when disengaged from theshaft.

4. Means for effecting end play in rotary machines, comprising a shafthaving a bias in one direction and a pin mounted to rock opposite theend of the shaft and arranged so that the end of the shaft abuts againstthe end of the pin whenactuated by said bias.

5. Means for effecting end play in rotary machines, comprising a shafthaving a bias in one direction and a pin mounted in a universal bearingopposite the end of the shaft and arranged so that the end of the shaftabuts against the end of the pin when actuated by said bias.

6. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a pin pivotallymounted opposite the end of the shaft and normally resting at an angleto the axis of the shaft, one end of said pin extending in proximity tothe end of the shaft and arranged to be engaged thereby.

7. An end-play device comprising a pin, a universal bearing therefor,means for supporting the bearing opposite the end of the shaft, andmeans for adjusting the bearing toward and away from the shaft andlooking it in any adjusted position.

8. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a pin, a bearingtherefor arranged so that one end of the pin is free to turn in anydirection, and a support encircling the free end of the pin.

9. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a pin having oneend mounted in 5 a bearing opposite the end of the shaft and eccentricthereto and the other end arranged to engage the end of the shaft.

10. An end-play device for a rotary shaft, comprising a movable pineccentrically mounted opposite the end of the shaft, one 10 end of saidpin being provided with a springtip adapted to engage the end of theshaft.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of May,1903.

HENRY GEISENI-IONER. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFoRn.

